RIOC Installs New Swing Dampeners On Roosevelt Island Tram To Reduce Cabins Rocking Back And Forth During Sudden Mid Air Stops And To Make The Passenger Experience A More Pleasant One

As previously reported, the north Roosevelt Island Tram cabin was taken out of service last week for maintenance repairs. From Tuesday, February 20 through Friday, February 23 only one Tram cabin was working. The repairs were completed on Friday. Following an inspection and approval by the NY State Department of Labor, both cabins were back in service by Saturday afternoon.

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Communications Director Bryant Daniels shares these photos and reports:

During this past weekend, in addition to the hydraulic cylinder replacement work performed on the Manhattan side station, POMA also installed the new swing dampeners on both the North and South Cabins. You can see the new blue dampeners on the outside of both ends of the cabin (pictured below).

Safety is always our first priority, and these sway dampeners are a necessary and important safety feature. They should also make the passenger experience a more pleasant one.

This work was the result of the New York State Department of Labor’s inquiry into the tram swaying incidents at the request of Assembly Member Seawright. As we continue to work with POMA to understand the root cause of the swaying incidents, these new dampeners should help reduce the actual cabin swaying in the event of another mid-air stop.

My Main Way Of Getting To Work Is Now A Terrifying Nightmarehttps://t.co/gkQpml7RmK

— Chris Klemmer (@ChrisKlemmer) November 9, 2023

Here's some examples of the swinging Roosevelt Island Tram.

November 2023 

October 2023

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September 2023. 

and from April 2019.

During the November 14, 2023 RIOC Board of Directors meeting, POMA's Roosevelt Island Tram Head Of Operations Armando Cordova addressed safety concerns caused by the Tram's sudden stops and swinging back and forth. 

According to Mr Cordova the problem is caused by a wi-fi issue that is being investigated. He assured everybody that the Tram is very safe and is not under any pressure or influence to operate the Tram if he thought there was any safety issue.